Decision details

The Assistance Policy to be amended to include the Disabled Person’s Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance to loan equipment and/or assistive technology to a disabled person.

That: -

(i) the Disabled Persons Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance, detailed in the report, be approved; and

(ii) the Assistance Policy, that forms part of the Private Sector Housing Services Policy, be amended to include the Disabled Persons Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance as detailed in the report. The proposed amendment to the policy is set out in appendix A to the report.

It is recommended that the Assistance Policy is amended to include the Disabled Persons Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance because it will:

·         Increase resources for equipment and/or assistive technology which will improve more disabled people’s living conditions, helping them to maintain their independence, manage risks in and around the home and enable a person to remain living in their own home.

Option 1: Do not amend the Assistance Policy in 2018/19 to include the proposed Disabled Persons Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance – if this option was pursued we will not be able to increase resources for equipment and/or assistive technology and therefore potentially miss the opportunity to improve more disabled people’s living conditions, helping them to maintain their independence, manage risks in and around the home and enable a person to remain living in their own home.

Option 2: Wait until the full review of the Assistance Policy in 2019/20 to include the Disabled Persons Equipment and Assistive Technology Assistance – the revised Assistance Policy will not be implemented until 2019/20, which will mean a missed opportunity to increase resources in 2018 and 2019 for equipment and/or assistive technology and therefore potentially miss the opportunity to improve more disabled people’s living conditions, helping  them to maintain their independence, manage risks in and around the home and enable a person to remain living in their own home.

Option 3: Widen the amendment to utilise DFG further. We considered reviewing the cap and means test for adaptations but determined that this should form part of the full to review to allow time to more thoroughly consider the impact.